Midlands Man Returns Home to Robbery in Progress

Homeowner makes bold move to scare suspects away

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO) -Two suspects got away on foot after a Midlands homeowner blocked in their car during a home burglary in the Old Woodlands area of Columbia Wednesday afternoon.

Hammond School, which is near the scene of the crime, was on a brief lock-down as deputies were searching for the two suspects.

“I’m tired of it,” homeowner, Billy Boozer said. “This is not the first time that our homes have been broken into.”

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to a burglary in progress in the 200 block of Old Woodlands Road just before 1 p.m., authorities said.

Boozer said he got a call from his alarm company and acted quickly. When Boozer arrived to his residence, he told deputies a suspicious vehicle was in the driveway.

“When I pulled in there was a car in the driveway, so I blocked the car in,” Boozer said. “When I got out of my truck the (suspects) car was running.”

With two suspects in his house, Boozer took their keys out of the ignition and a cell phone that was in the front seat.

“I went back out to the street and called 911 to tell the police to hurry up and get here,” Boozer said.

While authorities applaud Boozer for his quick thinking, they say if this happens to you, remember safety first.

“We want to be able to go out and respond to these burglaries that are happening because we have all the tools for it,” Sgt. Brittany Jackamonis said. “We have the training for it and we want the public to be safe while we go ahead and put ourselves in harms way.”

Boozer said although he didn’t see the suspects run out with much in their hands they took something you can’t put a price on: his peace of mind.

“You still have to deal with the door that was kicked in, making repairs, and the uneasiness of never feeling safe,” Boozer said.

One suspect was described as wearing a black hoodie and the other suspect was wearing a black hoodie with white stripes.

Authorities said there is no threat to the community.

To receive up to $1,000 for information about the crime or if you know the identities of the suspects, citizens are encouraged to contact CRIMESTOPPERS in any of the following ways: call 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372), text to CRIMES (274637), and mark the beginning of the message with “TIPSC,” followed by the tip information or go to: www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the “Submit a tip” ta